Why teach social justice?

 

I grew up in an estate built for the families of fishermen like my grandfather’s and although my parents chose to prioritise our education above everything else, they also kept us grounded by reminding us, regularly, that ours was a privileged position we should never take for granted.

I was 9 when I became aware of global-scale social injustices and 10 when I learned about racism and my educators spoke to me about the work of Doctor Martin Luther King, Stephen Biko, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and many others. 

I remember how upset I was at the fact that children like me did not have the same opportunities I had, just because of where they were born or how they looked. It was all I could talk about and I found hard to believe that not everyone was as affected by this as I was. Furthermore I did not understand why they saw those as elsewhere matters.

Eventually i realised that this denial was not only a very typical response to my questions but also the way in which such bubble-like existence sustained itself.

Rather than pulling some wool over my eyes, as many other parents did, my parents tasked me with thinking about the kind of adult I wanted to become in order to change this and better “the world” and to equip myself with the right tools to get there. 

I am forever grateful to them for encouraging me to do so.

In contrast, my eldest niece experienced racism at age 4. Her heart broke when a boy used the colour of her skin as an insult in the corridor of her former school. 

I remember how angry I was at the school for failing to teach him to appreciate diversity and how determined I was for her to know there is nothing wrong with the colour of her skin. I also remember the pain we, adults, felt having realised that the time to have “the talk” had arrived.

My second niece (a year and a half younger) saw how upset her sister was and vowed to learn to defend herself and her sister. But racist bullying is debilitating and eventually got to her as well.

My nephew was 4 when he came back from visiting his Jjajja in Uganda and asked me why he had been pointed at in the street and called mzungu and 5 when the first day back at school he was told by some of his former “friends” they would no longer play with him because he is black. 

When I asked him how he felt about that, he responded “I am who I am. It is their choice and there is nothing i can do about it.” He left me speechless.

All three of them experienced racism by the time they were half the age I was when I learned (from my educators) what racism is. The difference between our experiences was not the context, just the colour of our skin. 

I am sharing this as an illustration of the importance of social justice and race literacy. These are skills which we can start teaching from childhood and learn throughout our lives, and they are especially vital among those who are in the majority in order to ensure that the children in our lives learn to appreciate themselves as well as their peers and see the challenges of the world as their own.

The bubble I described earlier is real and unless we take steps to educate ourselves and those around us, the years will pass but change won’t come.

Some schools and people think kids should learn to “deal with” and defend from the above on their own, but I strongly disagree.

Nobody should be expected to learn to “deal with” racism or bullying. In the context of children, it is in fact the adults’ responsibility to create an inclusive environment for education and life to take place safely.

I often wonder what does it say about our society that this continues to happen and we keep making excuses such as “they meant well”, “that came out wrong”, ” I don’t think that is what they meant to say”, “no, no you got this wrong”… 

We need to take responsibility, stop making excuses and start building a better world by learning and teaching the kids in our lives about social justice and all the other important topics which surround EDI, if not for us, for them and their peers.

I would like to believe that my nieces and nephews will grow up to be good people and they will be the ones who shape their future, but just in case I will be doing my best to guide and support them in order for them to have a fair chance.

Will you join me?

Where did we start from?:

Topics we have explored (and revisited): 

• ·        Our privileges should never be taken for granted.
• ·        Why we need to stand up for those who are wronged. Even when this makes us unpopular.
• ·        There is a world beyond school we are constantly preparing for. 
• ·        School is not the ultimate goal, just the beginning of a journey.
• ·        The impact of our actions is so much bigger than us.
• ·        Words matter, let’s choose them carefully.
• ·        How do …. (other cultures) do this?
• ·        Is this fair? 
• ·        Why does this make us uncomfortable?
• ·        Is this true?

Useful resources: 

• ·        How to talk about race, justice and equality with your children (LINK)
• ·        Tips for Talking with Children About Racism and Social Justice (LINK)
• ·        Books for children with diverse role models which inspire us:
• ·        Little leaders: Bold Women in Black History &Exceptional Men in Black History
• ·        Little people, big dreams
• ·        Beyond discussing social justice, let’s create some by using our skills to support those who don’t have access to those skills.

The following actions can make a difference in the lives of the children in our communities:

• ·        Become a school Governor and drive excellence (LINK).
• ·        Share your knowledge with the kids in your local schools (LINK) 
• ·        Help create a more diverse future for our industry by sharing what it is like to shape the world (LINK) 
• ·        Help parents who have no access to STEAM insight (LINK)

These are just the ways I have found to help drive change ….there are many more. I would love to hear your tips and ideas as well as learn about the initiatives you are involved with.